You’re planning to retire in the not-so-distant future, which means you’ll be living on a fixed income. Therefore, you’re looking for a new hometown where you can enjoy life while stretching your dollar to the max.
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Living on Even Less: Best Cities To Retire on a Budget of $1,500 a Month
In the U.S., the average cost of monthly expenditures for people ages 65 and older — i.e., rent, groceries, healthcare costs — is $1,982.25, according to a GOBankingRates study. You know your budget can’t handle passing the $2,000-per-month mark, so you want to make a strategic move.
Thankfully, there are plenty of options around the country to choose from. Whether you’re hoping to move to a city with warmer weather, want to be closer to family or are looking for a tight community with a lot to do — now that you have more free time — we found a place that will meet your needs.
Ready to start searching for a new place to enjoy your golden years? Keep reading to discover 13 cities where you can retire on $2,000 per month.
13. Lincoln, Nebraska
Monthly expenditures: $1,878.24
Livability: 78
Monthly healthcare costs in Nebraska’s capital city top the list at $537.11. At $940 per month, rent for a one-bedroom is also the second most expensive, but it could be worth the price, as it scored the highest livability rank.
12. Des Moines, Iowa
Monthly expenditures: $1,820.63
Livability: 75
The city earned the second-highest livability rank, but rent in Des Moines averages a pricey $930 per month. Monthly healthcare costs also average $495.27, which is one of the highest on the list.Find Out: How Financial Literacy Changes Once You’re Retired
11. Greensboro, North Carolina
Monthly expenditures: $1,779.02
Livability: 66
A great place to make friends,16% of the Greensboro population is 65 and older. However, monthly healthcare costs average among the priciest at $484.48.
10. Oklahoma City
Monthly expenditures: $1,725.63
Livability: 69
It might be fun to live in Oklahoma’s capital city, but healthcare costs are the second-highest on the list, averaging $505.62 per month. However, monthly rent is on the cheaper side, at an average of $830.
9. Corpus Christi, Texas
Monthly expenditures: $1,718.34
Livability: 69
Chances are, you’ll have a vibrant social life in Corpus Christi, as 15% of the population is 65 and older. However, healthcare costs are on the higher side, averaging $436.16 per month.
8. Indianapolis
Monthly expenditures: $1,709.95
Livability: 65
At $950 per month, the average rent in Indianapolis is the highest on the list. However, you can even this out a bit at the supermarket, as grocery costs in this buzzy city are on the lower end, averaging just $385.48 per month.
7. Columbus, Ohio
Monthly expenditures: $1,680.50
Livability: 73
One of the most livable cities, monthly healthcare costs in Columbus are on the lower end, averaging $373.61. However, grocery costs are the most expensive on the list, at an average of $406.89 per month.
6. Cincinnati
Monthly expenditures: $1,640.38
Livability: 68
Grocery costs in Cincinnati are the second-highest on the list, averaging $401.95 per month. However, at a monthly average of $368.43, the city has the second-lowest monthly healthcare expenses.
5. Laredo, Texas
Monthly expenditures: $1,588.77
Livability: 71
Social butterflies could find life in Laredo challenging, as only 9% of the population is 65 and older. On the plus side, grocery costs are on the lower end, averaging $379.71 per month.
4. Tucson, Arizona
Monthly expenditures: $1,584.91
Livability: 65
Healthcare costs in Tucson are the cheapest on the list, averaging just $351.60 per month. One-fifth of the population is also 65 or older — the highest on the list — making it a great place to socialize.
3. El Paso, Texas
Monthly expenditures: $1,562.92
Livability: 74
Living in El Paso, you’ll enjoy one of the lower one-bedroom rents on the list, averaging $810 per month. Healthcare costs are also on the cheaper side, at a monthly average of $374.04.
2. Lubbock, Texas
Monthly expenditures: $1,520.60
Livability: 68
The cheapest on the list, rent in Lubbock averages just $690 per month. However, monthly healthcare costs are on the higher side, averaging $452.12.
1. Shreveport, Louisiana
Monthly expenditures: $1,498.65
Livability: 65
At a monthly average of $374.77, groceries in Shreveport are the most affordable on the list. Additionally, rent in the city is the second-lowest, averaging $730 per month.More From GOBankingRates9 Bills You Should Never Put on Autopay
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Methodology: To find the best cities to retire on a monthly budget of $2,000 dollars or less, GOBankingRates first used Zumper’s March 2022 National Rent Report to find every city in the U.S. that has a (1) 2022 average monthly rent of $1,000 dollars or less for a 1BR apartment. GOBankingRates then used Sperling’s Best to find the cost of living index for each listed city, looking at (2) grocery and (3) healthcare index scores. Next, GOBankingRates used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ 2020 Consumer Expenditure Survey to find the annual expenditure amount for both grocery (“food at home”) and healthcare costs for people aged 65 and older, to find how much a person 65 and over would spend on groceries and healthcare in each city on a monthly basis. GOBankingRates then added monthly housing, grocery and healthcare costs together to find where a person 65 and older could survive on $1,500 or less. For a city to be qualified for the study, it had to have a livability score of 65 or higher as sourced from AreaVibes and its population had to be 10% or more over the age of 65, according to the Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey. All data was collected on and up to date as of April 1, 2022.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: The Best Cities To Retire on $2,000 a Month
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